Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Next Week
Event Features Community Service Awards and Outreach Fair
The City of Tacoma’s Events and Recognitions Committee (CERC) presents the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, located at 1500 Commerce St. in downtown Tacoma. The event opens at 11 a.m. with a Community Outreach Fair, followed by the main celebration program beginning at 1 p.m.
The celebratory program will be emceed by local humanitarian and community advocate Kwabi Amoah-Forson. Opening remarks will be delivered by Mayor Anders Ibsen, and the program will include a keynote address by Former Mayor of the City of Tacoma, Victoria Woodards. The celebration will feature performances by the Tracie L. Davis Celebration Choir, Aria Jones, Kayla Lindquist, Fearless Dance Team, Philip “Sharp Skills” Jacobs, Tacoma Poet Laureate Mari Griffin, and participation from Stadium High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC). The program will also include community voices and the presentation of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Awards.
CERC will present the 2026 Lifetime Service Award to Uncle Boy Chun Fook and the Emerging Leader Award to F. Jerome “JD” Davis, recognizing their outstanding contributions to community service and leadership.
Prior to the 1 p.m. program, community members are invited to attend the Community Outreach Fair beginning at 11 a.m. in the Greater Tacoma Convention Center lobby. The fair provides an opportunity for local organizations to share resources, showcase their missions, and connect directly with attendees.
This year’s celebration will once again bring the community together to honor Dr. King’s legacy through reflection, service, and action. The 2026 theme, Community in Service: A Path to Action, celebrates how individuals and organizations come together, each doing their part to serve and uplift the community.
“CERC is honored to celebrate the individuals who strengthen our community through service,” said Cydney Stephens, CERC Sub-Committee Chair. “This year’s theme reminds us that every act of care, large or small, moves Tacoma forward. Together, we can continue building that connected and compassionate community, turning Dr. King’s legacy into daily action.”
In keeping with the theme of service, the event will also highlight Operation Warm Soles, a community initiative led by emcee Kwabi Amoah-Forson that provides warm socks, shoes, and blankets to unhoused individuals in Tacoma and Seattle. Donations of new socks, shoes, and blankets will be collected at the event beginning at 11 a. m. Donations are also accepted at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center now through Thursday, January 15 during the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as at Tacoma Dome and Convention Center events. Details on donation opportunities are available online.
For those unable to attend in person, the celebration will be available on TV Tacoma. To support accessibility, the event will offer live closed captioning in English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Russian, Khmer, and Filipino. An American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter will also be present during the program.
The City’s Events and Recognitions Committee oversees the planning and production of the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, including the selection of award recipients. The celebration is open to the public and parking is free. For more information, including event details and accessibility information, visit tacomavenues.org/mlk-celebration or email communityevents@tacomavenues.org.
About Lifetime Service Award Recipient Uncle Boy Chun Fook
Uncle Boy Chun Fook is the lifetime director of Kikaha O Ke Kai Outrigger Canoe Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Hawaiian culture and building community through paddling. For nearly 30 years, he has created an inclusive space welcoming people of all ages and backgrounds, fostering unity, cultural exchange, and environmental stewardship along Tacoma’s waterfront. Known for his humility, generosity, and aloha spirit, Boy’s leadership and longstanding traditions, such as preparing meals for race participants, have made him a cornerstone of the local paddling community and a true embodiment of Dr. King’s ideals of service, hope, and peace.
About Emerging Leader Award Recipient F. Jerome “JD” Davis
F. Jerome “JD” Davis is the founder of WayOut Kids, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth through music, media, and culturally responsive STEAM education. Through innovative programming and the creation of Rodney Raccoon, a character that teaches safety and social-emotional skills, Davis has reached more than 20,000 children through schools and community events. He is also the founder of Tacoma’s Juneteenth Celebration, now the largest in Washington state, which serves as a platform for cultural pride and economic empowerment. Davis’ visionary leadership and commitment to youth development reflect Dr. King’s call to service, unity, and opportunity for all.
About the City’s Events and Recognitions Committee
The City’s Events and Recognitions Committee serves as an advisory and action committee on City-hosted events, special events funding, and recognition programs. Members are responsible for planning, reviewing, and evaluating events to receive grant funding and services, as well as engaging the community in its planning efforts for the City of Destiny Awards and the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.